<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd">
<html>

<!-- Mirrored from ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR&CO'2014], Tue, 05 Feb 2019 09:46:01 GMT -->
<!-- Added by HTTrack --><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /><!-- /Added by HTTrack -->
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8">
<meta name="robots" content="index,nofollow">

<title>Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2, 15 June 2006 - FFII</title>
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://ffii.org/static/common/js/common.js"></script>

<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
var search_hint = "Search";
//-->
</script>


<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" charset="utf-8" media="all" href="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/css/common.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" charset="utf-8" media="screen" href="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/css/screen.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" charset="utf-8" media="print" href="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/css/print.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" charset="utf-8" media="projection" href="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/css/projection.css">

<!-- css only for MS IE6/IE7 browsers -->
<!--[if lt IE 8]>
   <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" charset="utf-8" media="all" href="/static/sinorca4moin/css/msie.css">
<![endif]-->





<link rel="Start" href="https://ffii.org/Home">
<link rel="Alternate" title="Wiki Markup" href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006?action=raw">
<link rel="Alternate" media="print" title="Print View" href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006?action=print">
<link rel="Search" href="https://ffii.org/FindPage">
<link rel="Index" href="https://ffii.org/TitleIndex">
<link rel="Glossary" href="https://ffii.org/WordIndex">
<link rel="Help" href="https://ffii.org/HelpOnFormatting">
</head>

<body  lang="en" dir="ltr">
<div id="header">
 <div class="superHeader">
  <div class="right">
<ul id="username"><li><a href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2, 15 June 2006?action=login" id="login" rel="nofollow">Login</a></li></ul>
  </div>
 </div>

<form id="searchform" method="get" action="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006">
<div>
<input type="hidden" name="action" value="fullsearch">
<input type="hidden" name="context" value="180">
<label for="searchinput">Search:</label>
<input id="searchinput" type="text" name="value" value="" size="20"
    onfocus="searchFocus(this)" onblur="searchBlur(this)"
    onkeyup="searchChange(this)" onchange="searchChange(this)" alt="Search">
<input id="titlesearch" name="titlesearch" type="submit"
    value="Titles" alt="Search Titles">
<input id="fullsearch" name="fullsearch" type="submit"
    value="Text" alt="Search Full Text">
</div>
</form>
<script type="text/javascript">
<!--// Initialize search form
var f = document.getElementById('searchform');
f.getElementsByTagName('label')[0].style.display = 'none';
var e = document.getElementById('searchinput');
searchChange(e);
searchBlur(e);
//-->
</script>

 <div class="midHeader">
  <div id="locationline">
<div id="logo"><a href="https://ffii.org/Home"><img src="https://www.ffii.org/img/ffii-logos/ffii-logo-transparent.gif" width="85" height="98" alt="FFII logo"></a></div>
<a href="https://ffii.org/Home">FFII</a>
  </div>
 </div>
<div class="subHeader">
<b> <a href="https://www.ffii.org/">FFII</a> | <a href="https://action.ffii.org/">Action groups</a> | <a href="https://press.ffii.org/">Press releases</a> | <a href="http://www.ffii.fr/">FFII.fr</a> | <a href="http://www.ffii.de/">FFII.de</a> | <a href="http://www.ffii.se/">FFII.se</a>  | <a href="http://www.ffii.org.uk/">FFII.org.uk</a> </b>
</div>

</div>
<div id="sidebar">
<div class="sidepanel">
  <h1>Get Involved</h1>
  <ul class="editbar">
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://twitter.com/ffii/">Follow&nbsp;us&nbsp;on&nbsp;Twitter</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://blog.ffii.org/">Our&nbsp;Blog</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="https://ffii.org/Donations">Donate&nbsp;to&nbsp;FFII</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://members.ffii.org/register/">Become&nbsp;a&nbsp;member</a></li>
  </ul>
  <h1>Software Patents</h1>
  <ul class="editbar">
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="https://ffii.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions_about_software_patents">FAQ</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://webshop.ffii.org/">Patented&nbsp;Webshop</a></li>
  </ul>
  <h1>Mailing Lists</h1>
  <ul class="editbar">
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://lists.ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/softwarepatents">Software-Patents</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://lists.ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/openstandards/">Open&nbsp;Standards</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://lists.ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/floss/">Free&nbsp;&&nbsp;Open&nbsp;Source</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://lists.ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/netreg/">Open&nbsp;Networks</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="https://ffii.org/https://lists.ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/volunteers">Volunteers</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://lists.ffii.org/">More&nbsp;Lists</a></li>
  </ul>
  <h1>Association</h1>
  <ul class="editbar">
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="https://ffii.org/Mission">Mission</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="https://ffii.org/National_chapters">European&nbsp;chapters</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="http://blog.ffii.org/tag/press/">Press&nbsp;Releases</a></li>
    <li class="wikilink"><a href="https://ffii.org/Contact">Contact&nbsp;Office</a></li>
  </ul>
</div>

</div>

<div id="page" lang="en" dir="ltr">


<h1 id="title">FFII Newsletter number 2, 15 June 2006</h1>
<div dir="ltr" id="content" lang="en"><span class="anchor" id="top"></span>
<span class="anchor" id="line-1"></span><p class="line867"><div class="table-of-contents"><p class="table-of-contents-heading">Contents<ol><li>
<a href="#Editorial">Editorial</a></li><li>
<a href="#FFII_board_meeting_in_Warsaw.2C_Poland">FFII board meeting in Warsaw, Poland</a></li><li>
<a href="#European_Day_Against_Software_Patent_on_6_July.3F">European Day Against Software Patent on 6 July?</a></li><li>
<a href="#Read_Florian_Mueller.27s_book_about_software_patents">Read Florian Mueller's book about software patents</a></li><li>
<a href="#European_Commission:_EPO_Case_Law_Not_Binding_-_Software_Not_Patentable">European Commission: EPO Case Law Not Binding - Software Not Patentable</a></li><li>
<a href="#Polish_MEP_Adam_Gierek_asks_Commission_about_mixture_of_EPLA_and_EPO_judges">Polish MEP Adam Gierek asks Commission about mixture of EPLA and EPO judges</a></li><li>
<a href="#Zoe_Genot.27s_question_to_Belgium_Minister_of_Economy_Marc_Verwilghen">Zoe Genot's question to Belgium Minister of Economy Marc Verwilghen</a></li><li>
<a href="#SMEday_organized_by_Microsoft_in_Brussels">SMEday organized by Microsoft in Brussels</a></li><li>
<a href="#NESSI_general_assembly">NESSI general assembly</a></li><li>
<a href="#Public_hearing_next_12_July">Public hearing next 12 July</a></li><li>
<a href="#The_Blackberry_case_and_others">The Blackberry case and others</a></li><li>
<a href="#European_Inventor_of_the_Year_nominee_speaks_against_software_patents">European Inventor of the Year nominee speaks against software patents</a></li><li>
<a href="#Calendar">Calendar</a></li><li>
<a href="#Contact">Contact</a></li><li>
<a href="#Donations">Donations</a></li></ol></div> <span class="anchor" id="line-2"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-3"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="Editorial">Editorial</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-4"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-5"></span><p class="line874">Welcome to this second newsletter. This month the Commission claimed <span class="anchor" id="line-6"></span>that software was not patentable, but I guess they had their fingers <span class="anchor" id="line-7"></span>crossed behind their backs, thinking, "unless, of course, it runs on a <span class="anchor" id="line-8"></span>computer". <span class="anchor" id="line-9"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-10"></span><p class="line874">The fight against software patents is not over. The pro-patent lobby is <span class="anchor" id="line-11"></span>as determined as ever, and has as much money and political influence as <span class="anchor" id="line-12"></span>ever. They are just being careful to avoid an open fight. <span class="anchor" id="line-13"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-14"></span><p class="line874">While the patent system is crumbling in the USA (over a million patents <span class="anchor" id="line-15"></span>waiting to be examined!), in the EU we are still moving slowly towards a <span class="anchor" id="line-16"></span>de-facto recognition of software patents. <span class="anchor" id="line-17"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-18"></span><p class="line874">This is how it works: the European Patent Office, which is not under the <span class="anchor" id="line-19"></span>control of any parliament, hands out software patents like fresh bread <span class="anchor" id="line-20"></span>on a Sunday morning. Friendly judges here and there uphold these <span class="anchor" id="line-21"></span>patents and the EPO appeal courts (also outside any democratic control) <span class="anchor" id="line-22"></span>modify patent law slowly to strengthen these patents. Software <span class="anchor" id="line-23"></span>patent-holders then claim that the EU is failing to create an open <span class="anchor" id="line-24"></span>market because they cannot use their software patents everywhere. <span class="anchor" id="line-25"></span>Poland, for example, just refuses to accept software patents.  Surely <span class="anchor" id="line-26"></span>this goes against the Lisbon Agenda! <span class="anchor" id="line-27"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-28"></span><p class="line874">So the FFII is hammering away at the pro-patent agenda. We are asking <span class="anchor" id="line-29"></span>questions in national parliaments.  We are fighting the propaganda that <span class="anchor" id="line-30"></span>"software patents mean innovation". We are like the stone in the shoe <span class="anchor" id="line-31"></span>of the pro-patent lobby. We're the small child pointing to the emperor, <span class="anchor" id="line-32"></span>and saying, "hey, the ugly old dude's naked!" <span class="anchor" id="line-33"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-34"></span><p class="line874">And it's not just software patents. We fight for the right to innovate <span class="anchor" id="line-35"></span>in the IT world.  Innovation and prosperity demand three things: open <span class="anchor" id="line-36"></span>standards, proportional ownership, and open competition. Software patents, <span class="anchor" id="line-37"></span>like DRM, and monopolistic practices, corrupt standards, they subvert <span class="anchor" id="line-38"></span>ownership, and they distort competition, and history will show them to be <span class="anchor" id="line-39"></span>a fraud. <span class="anchor" id="line-40"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-41"></span><p class="line874">-- Pieter Hintjens, President of FFII <span class="anchor" id="line-42"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-43"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="FFII_board_meeting_in_Warsaw.2C_Poland">FFII board meeting in Warsaw, Poland</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-44"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-45"></span><p class="line874">Here are the main points that were developed in the last FFII board <span class="anchor" id="line-46"></span>meeting in Warsaw: <span class="anchor" id="line-47"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-48"></span><ul><li>Publishing an activist guide to get the FFII message better through to activists. <span class="anchor" id="line-49"></span></li><li>Preparing activists guidelines for local persons on mass mailing and providing lists of contact people per country/region. <span class="anchor" id="line-50"></span></li><li>Providing for each country a Contact Howto. <span class="anchor" id="line-51"></span></li><li>Making a six-month calendar will be prepared to clearly planify FFII initiatives. <span class="anchor" id="line-52"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-53"></span></li></ul><p class="line874">For more information, get the complete FFII board meeting reports by <span class="anchor" id="line-54"></span>submitting to <a class="mailto" href="mailto:bxl@ffii.org">bxl@ffii.org</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-55"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-56"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="European_Day_Against_Software_Patent_on_6_July.3F">European Day Against Software Patent on 6 July?</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-57"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-58"></span><p class="line874">It has been recently proposed to launch the "European Day Against <span class="anchor" id="line-59"></span>Software Patent" on 6 July. As you remeber the European Parliament <span class="anchor" id="line-60"></span>massively rejected Commission's proposal on "Computer-Implemented <span class="anchor" id="line-61"></span>Inventions" the 6th of July 2005, thanks to FFII lobbying campaign <span class="anchor" id="line-62"></span>called "Economic Majority Against Software Patents". <span class="anchor" id="line-63"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-64"></span><p class="line874">It is clear that FFII lobbying victory is to be associated with software <span class="anchor" id="line-65"></span>parliamentary democracy. In this view, FFII will try to get some <span class="anchor" id="line-66"></span>conference room in the European Parliament to celebrate this major <span class="anchor" id="line-67"></span>event. Moreover, it would be the occasion to keep informed European <span class="anchor" id="line-68"></span>stakeholders on software patents by making presentations on the European <span class="anchor" id="line-69"></span>Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA) and starting the fundraising. A <span class="anchor" id="line-70"></span>special website should be created and a specific logo. We are still <span class="anchor" id="line-71"></span>waiting for propositions and of course you are all welcome! <span class="anchor" id="line-72"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-73"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="Read_Florian_Mueller.27s_book_about_software_patents">Read Florian Mueller's book about software patents</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-74"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-75"></span><p class="line874">Starnberg, Germany, June 06 2006. Florian Mueller, the founder of the award-winning NoSoftwarePatents.com campaign, has published his memoir-style book, "No Lobbyists As Such - <span class="anchor" id="line-76"></span>The War over Software Patents in the European Union", on the Internet. <span class="anchor" id="line-77"></span>On 377 pages, Mueller tells the story of the legislative process that <span class="anchor" id="line-78"></span>ended in July last year with a landslide vote of the European Parliament <span class="anchor" id="line-79"></span>against a proposal for a software patent directive. <span class="anchor" id="line-80"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-81"></span><p class="line874">The file may be redistributed under a Creative Commons license. Mueller <span class="anchor" id="line-82"></span>explained in his blog that he wants "to get [this] book out to a large <span class="anchor" id="line-83"></span>audience, especially since the next major war over software patents in <span class="anchor" id="line-84"></span>Europe will officially break out on July 12 at a hearing to be held by <span class="anchor" id="line-85"></span>the European Commission in Brussels. The same forces who supported the <span class="anchor" id="line-86"></span>software patent directive we successfully fought against are now trying <span class="anchor" id="line-87"></span>to achieve everything they wanted the last time, and even more, by means <span class="anchor" id="line-88"></span>of the European Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA)." <span class="anchor" id="line-89"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-90"></span><p class="line862">The book is now available on the Internet for download on <a class="http" href="http://www.no-lobbyists-as-such.com/NoLobbyistsAsSuch.pdf">http://www.no-lobbyists-as-such.com/NoLobbyistsAsSuch.pdf</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-91"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-92"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="European_Commission:_EPO_Case_Law_Not_Binding_-_Software_Not_Patentable">European Commission: EPO Case Law Not Binding - Software Not Patentable</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-93"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-94"></span><p class="line874">Brussels, 24 May 2006. In a reply to a question from Polish MEP and <span class="anchor" id="line-95"></span>inventor Adam Gierek, the European Commission has confirmed that the European Patent Office's <span class="anchor" id="line-96"></span>(EPO) case law is not binding for member states, nor (under the proposed <span class="anchor" id="line-97"></span>Community Patent regulation) for the European Court of Justice (ECJ). <span class="anchor" id="line-98"></span>For the first time, the Commission has also clearly stated that computer <span class="anchor" id="line-99"></span>programs are not patentable subject matter, without hiding behind the <span class="anchor" id="line-100"></span>infamous "as such" cop-out. <span class="anchor" id="line-101"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-102"></span><p class="line874">FFII President Pieter Hintjens said: "I'm stunned. The Commission has <span class="anchor" id="line-103"></span>been denying reality for so long and pretending that the earth was flat <span class="anchor" id="line-104"></span>and apples did not fall downwards, whereas the EPO has been obnoxiously <span class="anchor" id="line-105"></span>granting unwarranted pieces of paper whose only innovative effect has <span class="anchor" id="line-106"></span>been in the domain of patent litigation. Does the Commission now accept <span class="anchor" id="line-107"></span>that the EPC rules do actually rule? Or have I misunderstood something?" <span class="anchor" id="line-108"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-109"></span><p class="line874">Then he added: "It is nevertheless good to see that the Commission no <span class="anchor" id="line-110"></span>longer presents EPO case law as 'the status quo which must be codified'. <span class="anchor" id="line-111"></span>However, it relies too heavily on courts to keep Europe safe from <span class="anchor" id="line-112"></span>software patents. Whether or not Europe should have software patents is <span class="anchor" id="line-113"></span>not a legalistic detail which should be left to courts to sort out. It <span class="anchor" id="line-114"></span>is a crucial economic policy decision which must be taken by our elected <span class="anchor" id="line-115"></span>representatives." <span class="anchor" id="line-116"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-117"></span><p class="line874">For more information, see the question asked by Adam Gierek MEP (13 <span class="anchor" id="line-118"></span>April 2006) on <a class="http" href="http://wiki.ffii.org/Gierek060413En">http://wiki.ffii.org/Gierek060413En</a> and the answer by the <span class="anchor" id="line-119"></span>Commission (18 May 2006) on <a class="http" href="http://wiki.ffii.org/Gierek060518En">http://wiki.ffii.org/Gierek060518En</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-120"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-121"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="Polish_MEP_Adam_Gierek_asks_Commission_about_mixture_of_EPLA_and_EPO_judges">Polish MEP Adam Gierek asks Commission about mixture of EPLA and EPO judges</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-122"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-123"></span><p class="line874">Brussels, 23 May 2006. Polish MEP Adam Gierek asked Commission about the mixture of the European <span class="anchor" id="line-124"></span>Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA) and European Patent Office (EPO) <span class="anchor" id="line-125"></span>judges, EPO judges who have interpreted the European Patent Convention <span class="anchor" id="line-126"></span>in an extreme way in order to introduce software patents. The problem <span class="anchor" id="line-127"></span>especially concerns the independence and neutrality of the future patent <span class="anchor" id="line-128"></span>judiciary system. If EPO judges were simply transferred to the European <span class="anchor" id="line-129"></span>Patent Court (EPCt), software patents would be undoubtedly reintroduced <span class="anchor" id="line-130"></span>The EPCt would definitively lack of "ideological independency". <span class="anchor" id="line-131"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-132"></span><p class="line874">For more information, see Adam Gierek's question to Commission on <span class="anchor" id="line-133"></span><a class="http" href="http://wiki.ffii.org/Gierek060523En">http://wiki.ffii.org/Gierek060523En</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-134"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-135"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="Zoe_Genot.27s_question_to_Belgium_Minister_of_Economy_Marc_Verwilghen">Zoe Genot's question to Belgium Minister of Economy Marc Verwilghen</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-136"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-137"></span><p class="line874">Brussels, 16 May 2006. Belgian deputy Zoe Genot questioned Belgium Minister of Economy Marc <span class="anchor" id="line-138"></span>Verwilghen on the European Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA) the <span class="anchor" id="line-139"></span>16th May 2006, requesting precisions on its implementation in Europe. <span class="anchor" id="line-140"></span>Will EPO judges be able to be appointed for the European Patent Court <span class="anchor" id="line-141"></span>(EPCt)? Will the nominations of the EPCt judges be democratically <span class="anchor" id="line-142"></span>controlled through parliamentary approbation? What are the modalities of <span class="anchor" id="line-143"></span>the ratification of EPLA? Will the European Commission be in charge? <span class="anchor" id="line-144"></span>Etc. <span class="anchor" id="line-145"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-146"></span><p class="line874">Marc Verwilghen was as embarrassed as his answers appeared confused... <span class="anchor" id="line-147"></span>As to the Belgium Minister of Economy, the independency of the EPCt <span class="anchor" id="line-148"></span>judges would be guaranteed by the article 5 because of the possibility <span class="anchor" id="line-149"></span>from civil parts to challenge the EPCt judges. But it appears to be an <span class="anchor" id="line-150"></span>expansive measure that takes to much time. In any case, as to Marc <span class="anchor" id="line-151"></span>Verwilghen, we will be given more information next 12 July 2006. <span class="anchor" id="line-152"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-153"></span><p class="line862">For more information, see Zoe Genot's question and Verwilghen's answer: <a class="http" href="http://wiki.ffii.org/GenotVerwilghen060517Fr">http://wiki.ffii.org/GenotVerwilghen060517Fr</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-154"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-155"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="SMEday_organized_by_Microsoft_in_Brussels">SMEday organized by Microsoft in Brussels</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-156"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-157"></span><p class="line874">Brussels, 6 June 6 2006. It is clear that the European ICT sector is composed in great majority <span class="anchor" id="line-158"></span>of SMEs recognised as the growth engine of the European economy: there <span class="anchor" id="line-159"></span>are around 22 million SMEs in Europe, employing close to 120 million <span class="anchor" id="line-160"></span>people and contributing 57 per cent to Europe's GDP. That's why <span class="anchor" id="line-161"></span>Microsoft generously offered to bring together European business <span class="anchor" id="line-162"></span>innovators, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and governments to <span class="anchor" id="line-163"></span>provide a "360-degree view of how SMEs can drive innovation and growth <span class="anchor" id="line-164"></span>in Europe". Of course, it might appear paradoxical that giant Microsoft <span class="anchor" id="line-165"></span>organized such an event dedicated to SMEs and innovation, especially <span class="anchor" id="line-166"></span>knowing that last year the same Microsoft was "actively" supporting the <span class="anchor" id="line-167"></span>CII directive threatening EU software SMEs. You say astroturf? Quite <span class="anchor" id="line-168"></span>probable. And we were not surprised to hear through the conferences such <span class="anchor" id="line-169"></span>proposals as importing Ireland capitalistic model all over Europe, <span class="anchor" id="line-170"></span>creating more partnership between majors and SMEs and of course <span class="anchor" id="line-171"></span>improving "today's disastrous IP system in EU". <span class="anchor" id="line-172"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-173"></span><p class="line862">For more information, see <a class="http" href="http://www.smeday.eu/">http://www.smeday.eu</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-174"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-175"></span><p class="line862">ACT Patent Press Release: <a class="http" href="http://www.actonline.org/press-releases/060605SMEInnovationDay.html">http://www.actonline.org/press-releases/060605SMEInnovationDay.html</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-176"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-177"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="NESSI_general_assembly">NESSI general assembly</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-178"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-179"></span><p class="line874">Brussels, 8 June 2006. The first General Assembly of NESSI was held to present the Working <span class="anchor" id="line-180"></span>Groups progress as well as NESSI contribution to the 7th Framework <span class="anchor" id="line-181"></span>Programme. Promoted by thirteen major European ICT corporations, among <span class="anchor" id="line-182"></span>which you find IBM, SAP and... ObjectWeb, the NESSI technology platform <span class="anchor" id="line-183"></span>aims to provide a unified view for European research in services <span class="anchor" id="line-184"></span>architectures and software infrastructures that will define <span class="anchor" id="line-185"></span>technologies, strategies and deployment policies fostering new, open, <span class="anchor" id="line-186"></span>industrial solutions and societal applications that enhance the safety, <span class="anchor" id="line-187"></span>security and well-being of citizens. The presence of ObjectWeb as a <span class="anchor" id="line-188"></span>board member aims at representing the Open source communities through a <span class="anchor" id="line-189"></span>communication channel called "ONESSI". We were particularly attentive to <span class="anchor" id="line-190"></span>the ONESSI initiative and asked what would be the NESSI IP policy <span class="anchor" id="line-191"></span>knowing that SAP, IBM and ObjectWeb do not share the same vision of how <span class="anchor" id="line-192"></span>to protect software innovation. A "very good question" that reached no <span class="anchor" id="line-193"></span>clear answer. <span class="anchor" id="line-194"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-195"></span><p class="line862">For more information, see <a class="http" href="http://www.nessi-europe.com/">http://www.nessi-europe.com/</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-196"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-197"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="Public_hearing_next_12_July">Public hearing next 12 July</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-198"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-199"></span><p class="line874">In January 2006, the European Commission started a public consultation <span class="anchor" id="line-200"></span>"on the future of the Community Patent in Europe" on the pretext of <span class="anchor" id="line-201"></span>promoting of developing software free market and protecting innovation. <span class="anchor" id="line-202"></span>In reality, the aim is to legalize software patents by transferring EU <span class="anchor" id="line-203"></span>and member state legislative and judicial power to the European Patent <span class="anchor" id="line-204"></span>Office. Patent system does not guarantee continued innovation. A <span class="anchor" id="line-205"></span>software patent system in Europe could only be counterproductive and <span class="anchor" id="line-206"></span>disastrous for economic development. <span class="anchor" id="line-207"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-208"></span><p class="line874">FFII first questioned the validity of the procedure, based on the <span class="anchor" id="line-209"></span>serious lack of accessibility, which means that a majority of EU <span class="anchor" id="line-210"></span>businesses were completely excluded from answering. That's why FFII <span class="anchor" id="line-211"></span>recommended participation to those businesses that are able to do so, <span class="anchor" id="line-212"></span>for "Open democracy" means more transparency and effective hearings of <span class="anchor" id="line-213"></span>all stakeholders... Following a formal complaint by FFII to the EU <span class="anchor" id="line-214"></span>Commission's President Barroso, and meetings between FFII and the <span class="anchor" id="line-215"></span>Commission, the Commission agreed to extend its deadline from 31 March <span class="anchor" id="line-216"></span>2006 to 12 April 2006. FFII submitted its answer to the consultation <span class="anchor" id="line-217"></span>organized by the European Commission last Wednesday 12th of April. <span class="anchor" id="line-218"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-219"></span><p class="line874">The next step after the public consultation is the public hearing taking <span class="anchor" id="line-220"></span>place the 12th July. The Commission will first present a document <span class="anchor" id="line-221"></span>outlining the preliminary findings of the consultation based on replies <span class="anchor" id="line-222"></span>received until 12 April 2006. Then, the Internal Market DG will directly <span class="anchor" id="line-223"></span>consult stakeholders on their needs in relation to the legal framework <span class="anchor" id="line-224"></span>and possible actions in the field of industrial property. Of course, we <span class="anchor" id="line-225"></span>will attend to this public consultation and Pieter Hintjens will speak <span class="anchor" id="line-226"></span>in the name of FFII in order to defend the general interest of European <span class="anchor" id="line-227"></span>software companies. <span class="anchor" id="line-228"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-229"></span><p class="line874">For more information, see the FFII consultation website on <span class="anchor" id="line-230"></span><a class="http" href="http://consultation.ffii.org/">http://consultation.ffii.org</a> and the internal market website on <span class="anchor" id="line-231"></span><a class="http" href="http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/indprop/patent/consultation_en.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/indprop/patent/consultation_en.htm</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-232"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-233"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="The_Blackberry_case_and_others">The Blackberry case and others</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-234"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-235"></span><p class="line874">Blackberry is a product of Research In Motion (RIM), the innovative <span class="anchor" id="line-236"></span>leading marketer of wireless solutions. Since 2001, RIM has been sued <span class="anchor" id="line-237"></span>for infringing five software patents held by NTP. In 2006, RIM had to <span class="anchor" id="line-238"></span>pay $612.5 million to settle a patent lawsuit with NTP. Presently, RIM <span class="anchor" id="line-239"></span>is being sued by Visto. The Blackberry case illustrates that software <span class="anchor" id="line-240"></span>patent are dangerous to innovative and competitive businesses. The <span class="anchor" id="line-241"></span>Blackberry case is not an isolated one. Recently Apple and Creative Labs <span class="anchor" id="line-242"></span>have been engaging in a software patent war, undoubtedly an expansive <span class="anchor" id="line-243"></span>and non-profiting one. If software patent were legalized in EU, as it is <span class="anchor" id="line-244"></span>in the U.S with the US Patent and Trademark Office, they would not serve <span class="anchor" id="line-245"></span>innovation and free competition, in fact and they would certainly used <span class="anchor" id="line-246"></span>by powerful companies to sue innovative and high-profiting SMEs (patent <span class="anchor" id="line-247"></span>troll strategy). <span class="anchor" id="line-248"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-249"></span><p class="line862">For more information, see <a class="http" href="http://wiki.ffii.org/BlackberryEn">http://wiki.ffii.org/BlackberryEn</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-250"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-251"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="European_Inventor_of_the_Year_nominee_speaks_against_software_patents">European Inventor of the Year nominee speaks against software patents</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-252"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-253"></span><p class="line874">Brussels, 3-4 May 2006. The first edition of the "European Inventor of the Year" was held at the <span class="anchor" id="line-254"></span>Hotel Le Plaza in with the gala dinner and awards ceremony taking place <span class="anchor" id="line-255"></span>at the Autoworld Museum on 3 May. Organised by both the European <span class="anchor" id="line-256"></span>Commission and the European Patent Office, the aim of this event is to <span class="anchor" id="line-257"></span>promote software patents in Europe. FFII couldn't miss this <span class="anchor" id="line-258"></span>"exceptional" manifestation. <span class="anchor" id="line-259"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-260"></span><p class="line874">One of the nominees in the non-European countries category was Charles <span class="anchor" id="line-261"></span>E. Perkins, who worked at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Centre in <span class="anchor" id="line-262"></span>Hawthorn, New York, when they developed mobile IP, enabling mobile <span class="anchor" id="line-263"></span>devices, such as laptop computers, to be moved between different <span class="anchor" id="line-264"></span>networks. <span class="anchor" id="line-265"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-266"></span><p class="line874">Briefly, it appears that Charles E. Perkins tends to consider that <span class="anchor" id="line-267"></span>software in itself should not be patented though at the same time he <span class="anchor" id="line-268"></span>reckons the necessity of protecting the expensive process of developing <span class="anchor" id="line-269"></span>software. <span class="anchor" id="line-270"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-271"></span><p class="line862">Get the interview on <a class="http" href="http://wiki.ffii.org/Perkins030506En">http://wiki.ffii.org/Perkins030506En</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-272"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-273"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="Calendar">Calendar</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-274"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-275"></span><ul><li><p class="line862">Bonn, 25-26 June: FrOScon (Free and Open Source Software Conference). For more information, see <a class="http" href="http://www.froscon.de/wiki/FrOSCon">http://www.froscon.de/wiki/FrOSCon</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-276"></span></li><li><p class="line862">Paris, 26 June: Paris Capitale du Libre. The aim of this "free" event is to bring together Open source stakeholders from all over the world. For more information, see <a class="http" href="http://www.paris-libre.org/">http://www.paris-libre.org/</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-277"></span></li><li><p class="line862">London, 30 June: European Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA) Conference. For more information, see <a class="http" href="http://wiki.ffii.org/EplaIbc060630En">http://wiki.ffii.org/EplaIbc060630En</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-278"></span></li><li>Brussels, 12 July: Public hearing on the Future of Patent Policy in Europe <span class="anchor" id="line-279"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-280"></span></li></ul><p class="line862">For more information see <a class="http" href="http://new.ffii.org/Calendar">http://new.ffii.org/Calendar</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-281"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-282"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="Contact">Contact</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-283"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-284"></span><p class="line862">Benjamin Henrion<br>
 <span class="anchor" id="line-285"></span>FFII Brussels<br>
 <span class="anchor" id="line-286"></span>+32-2-414 84 03 (fixed)<br>
 <span class="anchor" id="line-287"></span>+32-484-56 61 09 (mobile)<br>
 <span class="anchor" id="line-288"></span><a class="mailto" href="mailto:bhenrion@ffii.org">bhenrion@ffii.org</a><br>
 <span class="anchor" id="line-289"></span>(French/English)<br>
 <span class="anchor" id="line-290"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-291"></span><p class="line867">
<h1 id="Donations">Donations</h1>
<span class="anchor" id="line-292"></span><span class="anchor" id="line-293"></span><p class="line862">If you want to support FFII activities, please consider to donate: <a class="http" href="http://www.ffii.org/Donations">http://www.ffii.org/Donations</a> <span class="anchor" id="line-294"></span><span class="anchor" id="bottom"></span></div><p id="pageinfo" class="info" lang="en" dir="ltr">Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2, 15 June 2006  (last edited 2009-08-15 23:47:16 by <span title="??? @ localhost[127.0.0.1]">localhost</span>)</p>

<ul id="iconbar">
<li><a href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006?action=edit" rel="nofollow" title="Edit"><img alt="Edit" height="12" src="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/img/moin-edit.png" title="Edit" width="12" /></a></li>
<li><a href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006" rel="nofollow" title="View"><img alt="View" height="13" src="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/img/moin-show.png" title="View" width="12" /></a></li>
<li><a href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006?action=diff" rel="nofollow" title="Diffs"><img alt="Diffs" height="11" src="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/img/moin-diff.png" title="Diffs" width="15" /></a></li>
<li><a href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006?action=info" rel="nofollow" title="Info"><img alt="Info" height="11" src="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/img/moin-info.png" title="Info" width="12" /></a></li>
<li><a href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006?action=subscribe" rel="nofollow" title="Subscribe"><img alt="Subscribe" height="10" src="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/img/moin-subscribe.png" title="Subscribe" width="14" /></a></li>
<li><a href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006?action=raw" rel="nofollow" title="Raw"><img alt="Raw" height="13" src="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/img/moin-raw.png" title="Raw" width="12" /></a></li>
<li><a href="https://ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006?action=print" rel="nofollow" title="Print"><img alt="Print" height="14" src="https://ffii.org/static/sinorca4moin/img/moin-print.png" title="Print" width="16" /></a></li>
</ul>

<div id="pagebottom"></div>
</div>

<div id="footer">
<ul id="credits">
<li><a href="http://moinmo.in/" title="This site uses the MoinMoin Wiki software.">MoinMoin Powered</a></li><li><a href="http://moinmo.in/Python" title="MoinMoin is written in Python.">Python Powered</a></li><li><a href="http://moinmo.in/GPL" title="MoinMoin is GPL licensed.">GPL licensed</a></li><li><a href="http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=referer" title="Click here to validate this page.">Valid HTML 4.01</a></li>
</ul>


</div>
<p id="copyright_notice">Copyright (C) 2000-2015 FFII e.V.</p><p id="hosting_sponsor">Hosting sponsored by <a href="http://www.netgate.de/">Netgate</a> and <a href="http://www.init7.com/">Init Seven AG</a></p></body>

<!-- Mirrored from ffii.org/Newsletter/FFII Newsletter number 2%2C 15 June 2006 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR&CO'2014], Tue, 05 Feb 2019 09:46:01 GMT -->
</html>

